PS 

24S0 ^ 






^^i:t ^^ >^:iii;^"^^Vi^\^»i// ^^.,^. .^il^ii \i/^ 




^Misedl^xi^ 



'V 



1^^ 



1897 



LIBRARY QF CONGRESS. 

Chap. 1. Copyright No. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 




THE AMERICAN WOMAN. 



GEORGE C. EICHBAUM. 




iamonds^f 



Til 

l)l$tory 

and 

Romance 



« 



/ 



By Conise Tv«rv IIImk 

ft 



Chicago 
CDe Scbulte PtiDlisbittd £mpm 
323-325 Dearborn Street 



TWO COPIES KECEiVED 







Bf f ratKit 3* UWtt 



Diamonds 



Tar back on i)i$tory'$ aim ana faaea pages, 
Cracea D9 tbe duill upon tbe vellum leaf, 
Down tDrongb fbe countless era of tbe ages, 
tbe Diamona'srecora runs in clear relief. 



Tn ancient chronicle ana moaern story, 
Jl raaiant aueen in every court ana clime, 

Olitbin its crystal walls a magic glory, 
tbe Diamona reigns in beauty all sublime. 



Cbe Rigb Priest of tbe ancient 3ewisb bost, 
Cban wbom no man couia greater 
power wieia, 
Bore, wben bis pleasure was to 
aazzle most, 
Cweive wonarous gems upon bis 
sacrea sbieia. 




/ 




<? 






-;^cJ^e <^^ <^e6«utew 




1 








M. ANDRE BOWLES. 



far Dacfc on l^isiory's dim and faded pages, 
traced hv the quill upon tbe vellum kaf/' 






^ff'^ >|-^7?<.- ^^-j^p 



twetve wondrous gem$: and wMcb antongst 
tbem 4ll 
Dare vie in kanty or in sparKling ligbt 
Witb Jabalom? Tor $o aid l)ebrew$ call 
Cbat wbicb to-day we know a$ Diamond 
bridbt. 



'•■J"\ 



UPben centuries, aHernate peace and strife, 
l)ad passed away, and Roman migbt and 
power 
Bowed neatb its yoke tbe stream of buman 
life 
Jls blustering nortb wind bends tbe swaying 
flower, 

Tmperial matrons, witb tbeir brigbt, dark eyes, 
Tasbioned tbeir classic robes of clotb'Of'gold, 

JInd woven purple plunged in tyrian dyes, 
JInd clasped a precious jewel in eacb fold. 




^L>sWvji«' ili^-- >\ . ,W J". Ji .,;4, 




tbose dlimriitd gems were sometimes tro- 
pDies rare, 
SiiiitcDed from tbeir victims of a van- 
quished race, 
tbeir value often far beyond comt^are. 
Vet none too splendid for patrician grace. 




'•4 



••-.S.,5_:3f„j4f-s^ 



OPife of Caligula, Rome's tyrant Cord, 
Coliia Paulina,— Pliny tells tbe story,— ^4^ 

Presided at a gorgeous nuptial board, 
Tn pearls and diamonds, a blaze of glory. 



twined in tbe mesbes of ber raven bair. 
On dimpled arms as alabaster wbite, 
'Round swan-liRe necR and slender fingers 
fair, 

myriads of jewels sbed tbeir luster brigbt 



^^.Jsu&ij' M/-.\ . ,W ii^ .Jk ■.: 




tm million pieces all of tm\m dolO, 
Cbe bribes of Drinces, from 
ber grandsire's board, 
to gain tbe favor of tbe Emperor's 
friend, 
l)ad for tbis wealtb of jewels 
been outpoured. 



^\ 




v^> 

•:^ 



But in tbose day$ of old imperial Rome 
most rare and precious was tbe dueen of 
gems. 

JIttd seldom were its flasbing colors sbown 
$ave in tbe royal rings or diadems. 



for only on farTndia's distant 
sbore 
tbe dusky natives, in tbe 
pebbled stream 
Or rocky mine, wbile seeking 
golden ore, 
Tound guerdon ricb tbe Dia* 
mond's longed-for gleam. 




^'^i^\^^<Jj^' M^^^.^u :^^ Jk '.:/>■ 




^-^/I'^-y/f-ffif^ ^"'^ 



Uirtues most wondrous Plato it 
assidited. 
madtianimous in peace, in 
conflict bold, 
Was be whose bappy fortune 
't was to find 
CMS ever precious "Kernel in 
tbe gold." 



tbe powdered dusttbat from its crusbingfell 
Was deemed endowed witb magic power 
beside 

Co avert tbe deadly flasb of ligbtnins's spell, 
Witb supernatural gift tbat none denied. 




Tn bistory's epocbs Diamonds played a part 
not second even to Damascus blade: 

Co gain tbe spoil guicR steel would seek tbe 
beart, 
And bonor little in tbe balance weigbed. 





FREDERICK LINCOLN STODDARD. 

''to gain tbe spoil, quick steel would seek the beart/' 



2gl-v;^/>^Sji#;UiiiS>-^-"*- ■■Ik 

Cbcy demitied tbe Peacock tbrone of nadir 

Gleamed in tbe jeweled Mit of Cbarles tbe 
Bold, 
Purchased a crown for Ibrahim Pasha, 
JInd for their saKe a Ring his suhiects sold. 



the snow-white plume of l)enry of naoarre 
n diamond buckle held in its proud place. 

Che "Uirgin Queen' of England wore a star 
Of Diamonds in her stately ruff of lace. 



Che "Orloff/' once a Brahmin idol's eye 
from Buddhi$t temple stolen by recreant 
priest, 
Olhere Russia's Czar wields his great scep- 
ter high. 
Resplendent gleams, at grand levee or feast. 




Cbe "HoM-noor," that bacK w RrtscftHa ' 
dat($» 
mbose cutting false, wbcn Jlnruiid2eDc'$ 
gem, 
6o$t$ad l)Oilen$io Borgia bis estates, 
now sbinesin englana's royal aiadem. 




Cbat noted jewel called tbe "Polar Star," 
Cbe "Regent," from tbe sword of Bona- 
parte, 
"mattam," "Braganza," "gnmberland," 
and "$bab," 
JIre names tbat lead tbe world's great 
diamond mart. 



nor always wbite. One Russian gem is red; 
Cbe "Dresden Brilliant" of an emerald 
green; 
H yellow tint tbe tiffany 's instead, 
JInd in tbe "Rope" a sappbire blue is 
seen. 



^i. Vj/v.Jfc' i!i4-.,v ,,ii,/ 




Cbe kflCttd runs tbat once a faitbful 
slave, 
JI ieweled ring whilst carrying for 
bis lord, 
Beset by tbieves, deterniined tbus to save, 
Swallowed tbe %m before be met tbe 
sword. 




SRHied surgeon's knife was needed to regain 
Cbe diamond wortb tbe ransom of a king. 

Cbe faitbful servant bad not died in vaim 
Back to bis master's coffers went tbe ring. 



One story stands, a blot tbat clouds tbe time: 
mben diamonds were first found in Brazil, 

tbe rulers of tbe sunny soutbern clime 
measures enforced tbat worked tbe peo- 
ple's ill. 




^^-^■^if^ijjy.i^fp. 




f 



J 




-Curi;i:r;Ghffl- 



J. WILTON CUNNINGHAM. 

the stately damsels trod the miituefs maze." 




foul) from tbeir \mm tiKV drove tAe DHtN- 
Meroor 
Hnd seized tbeir land, to delve for dia* 
iiionds deep. 
Razed to tbe sround, nor beartbstone tbey 
nor doon 
ttPere forced in woodland or in caves to 
sleep. 



But motber nature's beart seemed rl^ 
tottcbed at last. '^^^^ 




Brazil's supply decreased tbro' 
fifty years, 

Hnd In tbeir bomes restored, tbeir wander- 
ings past, 

Cbe poor in simple peace forgot tbeir tears. 

In our jflmerican (Colonial days, 

Ulitb silRen skirts, and powdered bair 
dressed bigb, 
Cbe stately damsels trod tbe minuet's maze, 

tbeir diamonds flasbing as tbey glided by. 

But wben tbe Revolution's dread alarms 
moke startled millions from tbeir dream 
of peace. 



^* WvJ«' i!^'.,\.,^ 




^ir!jr->^ -^.'^-.^jtv^" "^r^^pjLf 

Cbe ieweb were excbiuided tor warlike 
to free our country ana bid serfdom cease. 



no gems were tfteirs, m 
sbeen of golden bair, 
JInd teetb of pearl, tbro' 
lips as rubies red. 
Cyesdiamond-briflbt lacked 
nangbt to make tbem 
fair: 
€be greatest jewel freedom, tbeirs instead. 




tbose patriotic times bave fled fore'er. 

€be merchant princes' daughters of to-day 
Cbe value of a petty kingdom wean 

Tn baubles, at tbe opera or tbe play. 



Crown diamonds, tokens of an empire's fall, 
ebange bands, and cross tbe broad Jitlan- 
tic's sweep, 
Co sbine at plutocratic Qotbam's ball 
Olbiie countless tbonsands cold and staro* 
ing weep. 





tbree (lecadt$ since, wbere HfriC breasts tbe 
$e<it 

Jl oast supply of aiamonds was revealed; 
now 'neatD tbe bumiiid sky of Himberly 

Jl myriad exiles eager seeK tbe field. 




Cong days of toil go drasdiiid bour by bour, 
Dread fevers Mrk beneatb tbe torrid sun, 

tbe reptile's stino to frisbt bas lost its power, 
Olbiie fortunes vast are daily soudbt and 
won. 



in Borneo bave also gems 
been found, 
Jindwbere tbe Ural moun* 
tains raise tbeir peaks; 





PAUL CORNOYER. 

" Bttd Vnlctide log, tl)at wmns tiK iKarth and heart/* 



jind for our own Uirginia's fertile ground 
Cbe"Oiiiiioor/' a monster brilliaitt, speaks. 



'.r'\ 




Some Dave been mined wDere sMnes the Qoi* 
den Gate; 
Tn Georgia's soil a few Dave come to ligbt; 
JI wondrous stone came from the ''Bine firass 
State;" 
But JIfrica still leads tbe world in might. 



Cbe Diamond is nature's miracle 
Cbe carDon tbat is its component part 

Tn bread we eat, in common coal does dwell, 
TnVuietide log tbat warms tbe beartb and 
beart. 




'^i^V- .i^v •'!<' :Mi-- A . .W i 



Jit Mfe 

9 




But science {proves volcanic fires, tbat boil 
OPiti) diant power, once did fiercely tm, 

forcing tbeir way tbrondb rich madnesinni 
soil, 
Jind wroHdbt tDe Diamond in m Qranite 




}lnd crystallised its tones' pHsmatic glow, 
CiRe rainbow's arcb, yet adamantine bard, 

jlnd pure as limpid streams tbat ripplind flow 
Between tbe flowering banks of emerald 
sward. 



Still, in tbe rongb it only crystal seems; 

Pretty, and pleasing for a cbildisb toyt 
Beneatb translucent snrface bide tbe gleams 

Cbat tbrill tbe connoisseur witb rapturous 
loy. 



^5*^V--^\. 'ii i''4'.,\ .,W »'■ Jk -ill. 




not until lapidary's skill alone 

l^as ait with labored toil tbe crust away 
Cftat veils witl) jealous vpalls of pebDied stone, 

Cbe 'prisoned rainbow meets tbe ligbt of 
day. 



Hnd oft unskillful workman will deface 
Jl priceless gem, for subtle is tbe art 
Olbicb sbrewd Uan Burgbem early taugbt 

bis race, 
jind clear'Cut facets play a valued part. 




$0 is tbe mind of man. Itself a prize, 
H sem far greater tban eartb else cat 
yield; 

But 't is on education be relies 
Co fit bim for tbe senate or tbe field. 




>»W>i|' i!i4''\ ■ •^'■' x^ M. -ill. 



^^rf^^^^^ffP^^^'^^^ 



Tor.girtwM) opaque wan like Dknttond Stone, 
Ok untrained mind U like tfte pebDied 
splKre. 

X i$ learninrsDowercan cnttDe cni$t alone, 
Hnd man stands fortD in trntb wHtDont a 
peer. 



':^'\ 





itiHniiiiiiiii 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

ill 



